San Jose State will receive $2.3 million to address housing and basic needs over the next 18 months, university administrators said at a news conference Monday.
By 2022, SJSU officials expect to receive more than $3 million in grants awarded to SJSU from the California State University Chancellor’s office, more help will be offered to combat these housing issues.
With that money, SJSU Cares, a comprehensive support and referral program that assists students who are facing an unforeseen economic crisis plans to open an office in Clark Hall.
The Student Homeless Alliance, a group advocating for more resources to house scholars in need, argued a centralized location for SJSU Cares would make it easier to access.
“After 25 years, sometimes you feel like your voice isn’t going to be heard. But today is an example that that’s not true,” Briena Brown, sociology junior and vice president of the alliance said.
Designed by SJSU students and staff, the office will include a satellite office of the Bill Wilson Center which has partnered with the university in a challenge to house 100 students by Feb. 11.
After months of deliberation with San Jose State administration and city legislators, the SJSU Student Homeless Alliance felt that the university’s plans are a step toward collaboration.
An audience of about 50 took a first look into the comprehensive housing solutions that will provide short and long-term plans for students, faculty members and employees’ needs.
“In the coming months [the Student Homeless Alliance] will be working on a statewide solution to this housing crisis,” Brown said. “But today, we are grateful that SJSU has taken a major step towards meeting the basic needs of our students.”
SJSU President Mary Papazian opened the conference by discussing the importance of addressing the housing insecurity crisis that is affecting many people in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley.
“Homelessness and housing insecurity, as we all know, is both a regional and nationwide problem. It is one of the most urgent issues of our time,” Papazian said. “Though housing insecurity touches communities across the country to varying degrees, it feels especially acute here in Silicon Valley, due to the skyrocketing cost of housing.”
In 2018, a California State University basic needs study found 13.2% of SJSU students, or more than 4,300 SJSU students, reported experiencing homelessness within the past year.
Papazian also announced the launch of a pilot program in Fall 2020 to set aside 12 or more beds for emergency housing purposes, to better understand the scope of student needs.
This follows the alliance’s push for more immediate solutions in collaboration with SJSU Cares to help students who are sleeping in their cars or in the library right away.
“Our students asked for a more close-knit relationship and partnership with our SJSU Cares program, and that is what we are committed to delivering,” Papazian said.
Brown touched on this collaborative effort and said the alliance is grateful that SJSU is making strides on these issues.
“Having our voices heard means the world to us. This program announced today may have been created at some point in the future, but it’s happening now. Because of us, the students,” she said.
In addition to the development of an SJSU Cares office, state officials announced plans to demolish the Alfred E. Alquist building and build a mixed-use development with housing and office space.
They plan to construct 800-1,200 residential units.
Lawmakers said the housing would primarily be used for SJSU faculty, staff, graduate students and students with families.
The building was declared obsolete by the General Services Administration of California, state senator Jim Beall said.
Beall and assemblymember Ash Kalra, requested to allocate $250,000 in initial planning capital from the state’s general fund to turn the “unsafe and unpleasant” into a viable housing solution for SJSU.
“We have an urban campus, it’s almost impossible to expand it to meet the needs of the growing community. But we have an opportunity with this Alquist building,” Beall said.
Chair of the Academic Senate, Rashiva Mather, said the housing will quell fears of high housing costs for new faculty.
“A lack of affordable housing has been the most common concern of our faculty, a concern that I’ve heard repeatedly over the years,” Mather said. “The reality of high cost housing has prevented many, many applicants from accepting our very competitive job offers.”
Papazian said the university will spend this year planning and putting together a financial plan with hopes to house people in there by 2025 and said it is one of the most important projects to be completed at SJSU.
“The Multi-Purpose project we envision will result in affordable below market rate units that we absolutely must have at this university if we are to continue attracting the best and most accomplished and most diverse talent to our campus,” she said.
The completion of Campus Village 3 and the expansion of rapid rehousing and rental assistance services for students facing urgent housing insecurity situations are the final solutions that the university will pursue with the county.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said this will help the county assist students on the brink of eviction through various financial aid programs.
Assemblymember Kalra thanked the Student Homeless Alliance for continuing to fight for their cause.
“I think in years past, we would not see a press conference with both sitting together and speaking together,” Kalra said.
San Jose State will receive
$2.3 million to address housing and basic needs over the next 18 months, university administrators said at a news conference Monday.
By 2022, SJSU officials expect to receive more than $3 million in grants awarded to SJSU from the California State University Chancellor’s office, more help will be offered to combat these housing issues.
With that money, SJSU Cares, a comprehensive support and referral program that assists students who are facing an unforeseen economic crisis plans to open an office in Clark Hall.
The Student Homeless Alliance, a group advocating for more resources to house scholars in need, argued a centralized location for SJSU Cares would make it easier to access.
“After 25 years, sometimes you feel like your voice isn’t going to be heard. But today is an example that that’s not true,” Briena Brown, sociology junior and vice president of the alliance said.
Designed by SJSU students and staff, the office will include a satellite office of the Bill Wilson Center which has partnered with the university in a challenge to house 100 students by Feb. 11.
After months of deliberation with San Jose State administration and city legislators, the SJSU Student Homeless Alliance felt that the university’s plans are a step toward collaboration.
An audience of about 50 took a first look into the comprehensive housing solutions that will provide short and long-term plans for students, faculty members and employees’ needs.
“In the coming months [the Student Homeless Alliance] will be working on a statewide solution to this housing crisis,” Brown said. “But today, we are grateful that SJSU has taken a major step towards meeting the basic needs of our students.”
SJSU President Mary Papazian opened the conference by discussing the importance of addressing the housing insecurity crisis that is affecting many people in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley.
“Homelessness and housing insecurity, as we all know, is both a regional and nationwide problem. It is one of the most urgent issues of our time,” Papazian said. “Though housing insecurity touches communities across the country to varying degrees, it feels especially acute here in Silicon Valley, due to the skyrocketing cost of housing.”
In 2018, a California State University basic needs study found 13.2% of SJSU students, or more than 4,300 SJSU students, reported experiencing homelessness within the past year.
Papazian also announced the launch of a pilot program in Fall 2020 to set aside 12 or more beds for emergency housing purposes, to better understand the scope of student needs.
This follows the alliance’s push for more immediate solutions in collaboration with SJSU Cares to help students who are sleeping in their cars or in the library right away.
“Our students asked for a more close-knit relationship and partnership with our SJSU Cares program, and that is what we are committed to delivering,” Papazian said.
Brown touched on this collaborative effort and said the alliance is grateful that SJSU is making strides on these issues.
“Having our voices heard means the world to us. This program announced today may have been created at some point in the future, but it’s happening now. Because of us, the students,” she said.
In addition to the development of an SJSU Cares office, state officials announced plans to demolish the Alfred E. Alquist building and build a mixed-use development with housing and office space.
They plan to construct 800-1,200 residential units.
Lawmakers said the housing would primarily be used for SJSU faculty, staff, graduate students and students with families.
The building was declared obsolete by the General Services Administration of California, state senator Jim Beall said.
Beall and assemblymember Ash Kalra, requested to allocate $250,000 in initial planning capital from the state’s general fund to turn the “unsafe and unpleasant” into a viable housing solution for SJSU.
“We have an urban campus, it’s almost impossible to expand it to meet the needs of the growing community. But we have an opportunity with this Alquist building,” Beall said.
Chair of the Academic Senate, Rashiva Mather, said the housing will quell fears of high housing costs for new faculty.
“A lack of affordable housing has been the most common concern of our faculty, a concern that I’ve heard repeatedly over the years,” Mather said. “The reality of high cost housing has prevented many, many applicants from accepting our very competitive job offers.”
Papazian said the university will spend this year planning and putting together a financial plan with hopes to house people in there by 2025 and said it is one of the most important projects to be completed at SJSU.
“The Multi-Purpose project we envision will result in affordable below market rate units that we absolutely must have at this university if we are to continue attracting the best and most accomplished and most diverse talent to our campus,” she said.
The completion of Campus Village 3 and the expansion of rapid rehousing and rental assistance services for students facing urgent housing insecurity situations are the final solutions that the university will pursue with the county.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said this will help the county assist students on the brink of eviction through various financial aid programs.
Assembly member Kalra thanked the Student Homeless Alliance for continuing to fight for their cause.
“I think in years past, we would not see a press conference with both sitting together and speaking together,” Kalra said.
